by Peter-R. Koenig, 1994

Eugen Grosche is alleged to have come into the world at Riesa on the
11th of March, 1888. [1] Because of his parent's poverty, Eugen had
to leave the Realschule (secondary school) in Stollberg prematurely,
and take his final classes at the Volksschule (primary school) in
Leipzig.

His literary interests led him to become a bookseller
by the publishing firm of Müller-Mann, and in 1911 he moved to Berlin,
where he became a sub-editor on such inspiring periodicals as "Der
Militär Anwärter" ("The Military Cadet"), "Der Innenarchitekt" ("The
Interior Decorator"), and the "Deutsche Kohlen Zeitung" ("German Coal
News"). On September 29th 1914 Grosche got married, and from this union
sprang a daughter; her name Alraune, was that of a character in the
1911 novel "Alraune, Geschichte eines lebenden Wesens" ("Alraune, Story of a Living
Being") by the occult novel writer Hanns Heinz Ewers (1871-1943). [2]

During the Great War Grosche was a non-commissioned officer in the
Sanitary Corps; after the war he became People's Commissar of the
'Independent Social-Democratic Worker's Party'. In 1919 he was
fortunate enough to meet a lady who was willing to put 40,000
Reichsmarks at his disposal, in order to save her money from Germany's rampant
inflation - on condition that he abstained from political activity.
Thus he bought a stationery business, which he converted into a
bookseller's.

When the 'Kapp putsch' broke out in 1920, he was arrested and sent to
the Lehrter Strasse prison; three months later the Reichs Military
Court deliberated on him, under the chairmanship of Count Zeppelin's
nephew: Grosche was set free. His political party then nominated him to
the position of district organiser for Berlin-Schöneberg [3].

Grosche's mother worked as the housekeeper at the headquarters of the
Theosophical Society in Berlin; in 1921 the Society's secretary
Rudolf Steiner was supplanted by the bookseller
Heinrich Tränker,
who represented himself as a 'secret emissary', and immediately got money
out of both Grosche and his bookshop. Grosche was given a task, too:
under the name 'Gregor A.[?] Gregorius' [4], he was commissioned by
Tränker to establish a 'Pansophical Lodge' in Berlin.

At Tränker's behest, Grosche was obliged to assimilate esoteric
knowledge from such people as one Herr Peschke, an astrologer, and from
Paul Linke - a hypnotist, magnetiser, and healer. Tränker also
introduced Grosche to publishers like Otto Wilhelm Barth, and Hugo
Vollrath (1877-1943), who encouraged him to found the 'Inveha' occult
emporium. In the rear premises of this bookshop esoteric meetings took
place.

Albin Grau "Pacitius" became the first chairman of these Berlin
brethren seeking enlightenment. He was born on June 13th 1884 at
Schönefeld near Leipzig, and like Hermann J. Metzger, began his working life as an
apprentice baker; then he became a student at the Leipzig Academy of
Art. In the Great War he was at the Russian front, but afterwards was
employed as a commercial artist - first the by North German Lloyd
company, then various other shipping lines, finally working for the
German railway; 'Pacitius' was also an enthusiastic
mountain-climber. He then worked in films, collaborating as
script-writer, costume-designer, and set-designer for UFA productions.
He worked on films such as "Dr. Mabuse", "Vampire", and "The Cabinet of
Dr. Caligari", also collaborating with others as production-designer for
the Decla Construction firm on "Pietro the Corsair" (directed by Dr.
Robison), and "The Nibelungs" (directed by Fritz Lang, 1922). [5] In
the credits of Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau's film "Nosferatu" (1922), "Alwin Grau" is
mentioned as being responsible for the sets; the production-company for
"Nosferatu" was 'Prana-Film' of Berlin - 'prana' being an esoteric term
that had already been used as the title of Hugo Vollrath's Theosophical
periodical. Since the script of "Nosferatu" bore such a close
resemblance to Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula", the ensuing court-case
over copyright bankrupted Prana-Film. [6]

"So far as I am concerned, I have thus far recieved the higher degree
of Magister Aquarii from my predecessor Mstr. Pacitius previously in
the Pansophical Lodge, and from Mstr. Recnartus the 16-18 degree of the
R.C., and also from him in his character as an O.T.O. Master, the 5th
degree in the O.T.O., as confirmed by Therion." - Grosche on the
7th of July 1959). [7]

In 1925 Crowley was visiting Tränker and Karl Germer. Albin
Grau was not alone in coming "unhappily, too late" [8] to regret having
ever sided with Crowley. The secret German côteries around Tränker split into
three groups: Tränker's O.T.O.-Pansophy; Küntzel and Germer's
Thelema-Verlag; and a new development of the Pansophical Working Group
in Berlin - the Fraternitas Saturni.

In Nomine Demiurgi Saturni

On May 5th 1926 "Gregorius" and "four Fratres" formed a 'Working Group'
within Pansophy in Berlin: the Fraternitas Saturni. In that same year
Grosche's book "Satanistische Magie" ("Satanic Magic") appeared, in
which he boldly linked together Satan, the Virgin Mary, and the
Barbelo-Gnostics. [9]

Under Grosche's leadership, it appears that some forty out of
Pansophy's sixty members severed their links with Tränker, and after
the dissolution of the Berlin branch of Pansophy, constituted
themselves on April 4th 1928, with what they described as "pitiless
love", into the Fraternitas Saturni; the first autonomous Thelemic
organisation (i.e. independent of Crowley, while still accepting the
Law of Thelema). The Constituting Assembly took place on 11th May
1928.

Thus, on the day of its foundation, the FS robbed Pansophy (and its
associated O.T.O. lodge) of the majority of its adherents. The
thirty-three degrees of the AASR were reduced to ten; though it is
unclear in which of these degrees sex-magic was practiced. The fifth
degree was called 'Gradus Pentalphae', whereas the Tau symbol, [10]
important in sex-magic, belonged to the eighth 'Templarius' grade.
[11]

The official inauguration of the FS had already been advertised a year
before in "Vehlow's Astrological Almanac". [12] In a letter to Gerald
Yorke dated February 24th 1954, Henri Birven
opined that Albin Grau should have been appointed as first Grand Master of the FS. But then
Grosche stole a march on Grau by obtaining 30,000 Reichsmarks from a
princess in exile.

Later in 1960 Grosche published a Pansophical ritual [13] clearly influenced
by Thelemic and Saturnian ideas, which possibly shows that Pansophy and
the FS were not as far apart as once thought. [14] But this ritual had
no doubt been developed by the FS Working Group inside Pansophy, and
can hardly be seen as representative of the whole lodge's ethos.

Karl Germer had this to say of the matter: "As I was co-founder of
'Pansophia' in 1922, I know of course all about Fraternitas Saturni,
and the people back of it. Grosche was a sex-maniac, dabbled in
hypnosis and drugs - one of the lowest types of occultist I ever met.
Grau was a good man, but was too deeply entangled with Grosche and
Tränker... He could not extricate himself and never saw the light. None
of these people knew Crowley 'well'. They met him only once - possibly
twice! None could speak English. I had to translate and they quickly
fell by the way-side... The FS had nothing to do with A.C. nor A.C.
with them." [15]

The Adonists

[16]

For just a few weeks in 1928, the FS was allied with the 'Adonistic
Society', a sex-magical group founded on May 1st 1925 [17] by Franz
Sättler "Musallam" (1884-1942?) the guru of Franz Bardon, whose works
on magic would later have an unaccountable success in both German
and badly-translated English. The alliance was negotiated by Wilhelm
Quintscher "Rah-Omir, Ophias, Chakum Kabbalit". On March 13th 1928, the
alliance with the "Order of Mental Builders" (this was another name for
the Adonists) split up; many members of it entered the FS [18], and after January
3rd 1929 "purely businesslike" relations alone existed between
the FS and the remaining Adonists. [19]

Cont. SATURN

Rumours of drugs and sex in the FS were already spreading in the
1920's; there was the scandalous incident when a woman Saturnian fell
off a bus while intoxicated with cocaine, as remembered by Oscar
Schlag, who had visited Grosche in his bookshop [20]. And no
wonder: Grosche's "Magical Newsletters" were clear enough about drugs -
'Lodge-School Discourse 7' informed its readers that extract of
Peyote-cactus was available through the publishers, also
enthusiastically advocating the use of hashish. [21]

The "Berliner illustrierte Nachtausgabe" published a copiously
illustrated article about Grosche's bookshop on December 8th 1928. A
lecture held on October 8th 1929 expounded the theme of 'Homosexuality
and Esotericism', while another on the 23rd of October was about
'Vampirism and Blood-Magic'. "A prominent member during the Weimar
epoch was a Prince Coburg-Gotha, as well as the Countess
Klinckowström". [22]

In the same way as Henri Birven, 'Gregorius' published one of Crowley's
writings through Martha Küntzel's 'Thelema-Verlags Gesellschaft
Leipzig', this in fact being in the first volume of his five-part
magazine "Saturn-Gnosis". The title page and text illustrations were provided by
Albin Grau, who also contributed articles himself (one, for instance,
on 'Hoene Wronski, 1776 - 1853'). Grau died on March 27th 1971, highly
praised (but why?) by Metzger. [23]

Frau Küntzel however, soon recognised Grosche for what he was: a "Black
Brother". Grosche's one-sided correspondance with Crowley never got
beyond the most general and superficial matters to do with
lodge-business. [24] Frau Küntzel's printery in Zeulenroda only
delivered the first two issues of Grosche's 'Lodge-School Discourses'.
After October 1928, numbers three to fourteen, as well as
"Saturn-Gnosis", were printed by Franz Weber.

On October 10th 1929 Grosche was forced to dissolve his 'Esoteric Study
Society' (the FS had made public its prospectuses and announcements
under this title) temporarily using the name of 'Gnostic Study
Society' [25]. Money problems compelled him to sell his bookshop to Paul
Dörge, even including the lecture-hall at the rear of the premises.
Grosche then allegedly set himself up in practice as a psychotherapist;
it is not known why Crowley, on the occasion of his visit to Berlin in
1930, did not get in touch with him. [26]

After his library was seized by the Gestapo in 1936, Grosche fled to
Switzerland, where he visited Oscar Schlag in Zurich. [27]

Saturn's Égrégore in sunny Ticino

Some time in 1936 or 1937 Grosche turned up in the Ticino O.T.O. group
associated with Genja Jantzen, Alice Sprengel and
Frau Hardegger,
[28] and apparently predicted to them when the Second World War would
start. [29] His mistress Hannah Wildt stayed behind in Ticino until
two years later when he got hold of a travel-permit for Italy. "In
the vicinity of Cannero on Lago Maggiore (12 kilometres south of the
border-town of Brissago), he lived in a small house close by the lake
during his exile. He earned his living by working in the public gardens
for the former Mayor of Cannero, Engineer Hencke. He occupied his
leisure-hours with fishing." [30]

Although his residence in Italy was permitted by the Foreign Ministry
in Rome, in 1942 Grosche was expelled to Germany, where he became the
manager of a bookshop. During 1942-3 'Gregorius' was a political
prisoner in a Leipzig jail; of this, he later wrote: "Sonderführer
Major Dr. Heinrich Fesel had been appointed by the security service as
an expert on all secret lodges... Through him I was freed from
protective custody back, of course, to Leipzig once more. Of course,
he'd been a lodger of mine for three years." [31]

In 1945 he was given the job of constable by the Nazi police;
nonetheless, he managed to escape from Dresden to Riesa-on-Elbe. After
the war, he became a city councillor in Dresden, with a remit for
culture, schools and museums. He had to join the Communist Party
compulsorily, which put him under pressure owing to his esoteric
activities; consequently he crossed to West Berlin in July 1950.

Three years before, in January 1947, Karl Wedler "Giovanni" (b.
2.12.1911) became a member of the FS. [32] Some of the biographical
details at the beginning of this chapter given without
reference-numbers come partly from Wedler's essay on Grosche dating
from circa 1957. [33]

Friedrich Lekve,
the former student of Martha Küntzel (d. 1942),
described Grosche, C.S. Jones, and Mathers as "cancerous infections
in the blood of spiritual giants" in a letter to Crowley dated April
29th 1946. Despite this, Metzger was given Grosche's address by Lekve,
probably in early 1950, when the latter was on a trip to Germany.

On May 14th 1950 Metzger "Paragranus, Peter Mano" started a lively
exchange of letters with 'Gregorius'. Metzger offered to help Grosche,
inviting him to Switzerland, while in his first response Grosche had
already offered Metzger the publishing and author's rights to all FS
publications. [34] As both of them wished to see a legal affiliation
between all their esoteric groupings, Metzger accepted the offer of the
leadership of the Swiss Lodge of the FS on June 10th 1950 [35].

Grosche found Metzger's ritual scheme for the 'Esoteric Study
Association' (ESA), the preliminary 'outer court' "not magical
enough", after which Metzger only alluded to his own O.T.O. rituals, making them
available to the first candidates for advancement. Grosche could not
even agree with Metzger's "Exertitions" [sic], because they were so similar to the "Magical
Lections" of Karl Spiesberger "Eratus". Speisberger led a ten-member
'Metaphysical Study Circle'.

"It's just as well that I've never been fond of pushing myself to the
front," pronounced Metzger on September 7th, also referring to an
alliance with the A.M.O.R.C.'s Grand Master, Martin Erler
[36], back in Munich. According to Herr Erler's recollection in 1991, in fact Metzger and his
women simply took the A.M.O.R.C.'s correspondence course; but Erler
wanted nothing else to do with Metzger. [37]

In response to an advertisement which Metzger placed in issue 19 of the
periodical "Neues Europa" (dated October 1st 1950), Grosche received
some 100 replies, which gained him 15 new students; they were answering
the advertised "Invitation to entry into the Atrium of the
Lodge". In all fifty students from West Berlin remained under Gregorius's
tutelage; [38] which all in all contribute of 150 Westmarks (a month?)
to pay off all his debts and give him something to live on.
The Russian authorities were handing out prison sentences for those
caught practising occultism, therefore only twenty students felt
compelled in East Berlin [39]. Grosche was overjoyed at the
"assembled men material."

Grosche revealed his feelings to Metzger: "I will [...]
always think of you as someone in whom I can place my trust, and I have the most
profound sense that our paths could not have proceeded in so
co-operative and harmonious a manner for such a long time, without our
finding ourselves drawn closer together as men, friends, and
brothers." [40]

Metzger offered to write a history of the O.T.O., since he possessed a
huge volume of material about it. [41] "Weida. Metzger has enormous
amounts of material about this in filing-cabinets [...] But it
mostly went on about Tränker, and his rapidly becoming doubtful of Crowley's
integrity. More or less a case of doing his dirty washing in
public." [42]

Members of Metzger's Psychosophical
Society received a new set of statutes on October 19th 1950; Grosche writing only one
day after their enactment: "the warrant is extended for
approaches and efforts in the realms of France and Italy." The
foreign initiative was passed on to the Swiss Lodge, while Grosche occupied
himself exclusively with Germany.

With a visa for Austria and Germany, Metzger visited the brothers and
sisters in 'the Valley of Austria, Orient of Vienna' in November 1950
and May 1951; they were under the leadership of Eduard Korbel, who had
revived the Illuminati Order as an outer court
for the FS, so as not to lose any of his members. Metzger had already travelled to Ticino
in Switzerland in October 1950, in an effort to win over the surviving
O.T.O. members from Reuss's era. One thing that Metzger had kept
totally hidden from Grosche was that he had received a commission from
Julius Meyer, the president of the 'World League of Illuminati' in
Berlin, to act as a courier between Meyer, and Korbel in Vienna.
[43]

At the end of July 1950 Metzger also paid a visit on Tränker, who
considered himself the successor of Theodor Reuss; this of course made
him Metzger's "most serious rival". Tränker was kept in the dark
about Metzger's association with the FS, because both Metzger and
Grosche feared a court-case if Tränker wanted to seize their
O.T.O. documents, which of course he was legally entitled
to do as 'Supremum Sanctuarium' of the O.T.O.. [44] Against Tränker's
claims, Grosche and Metzger discussed the idea of
the O.T.O. becoming incorporated as the 18° of the 33-degree FS.
[45] "Hence the Lodge [FS] takes precedence [over the
O.T.O. in Germany] and Tränker cannot oppose it. As a legally incorporated association, it enjoys the
protection of the law." [46]

"Craft Masonry would come at the start of the FS in the three
degrees, then the Pronaos or outer court degree would follow, and
in the Pentalphae degree the said O.T.O. would be worked, etc. - the O.T.O.
degrees have always included Craft Masonry - such Brothers and
Sisters could eventually get the Mercury grade simultaneously -
or could they pass through in some special way?" [47]

From the Adonists (who were, it seems, often closely concerned with
"erotic questions") Metzger (who went under the alias of 'Servius'
among them) was able "to learn something, especially as far as
organisation was concerned." From a certain unnamed Adonist
professor, Metzger "learnt one day a week for two years, in an
intensive way, about humanistic education and scientific theories, to
degree level." [48]

Both Metzger and Grosche were placing themselves in a position to
swallow up other groups, whether it be the Adonists or Lekve's 'Thelem
Chassidim'. Lekve was open-handed where promulgating Thelema was
concerned, and regularly sent copies of the "Thelemic Lections" out to
all interested parties, even to the hated Grosche. "We have to suck
off the weaks, or achieve leadership under organisational
control... to become the Spiritus Rector who sets the pace" Grosche
emphasised bluntly on November 3rd 1950.

Suddenly Metzger put the correspondence on the back burner.
Grosche found himself in "terrible financial straits."
Many of his students had yet again "bailed out", and his final
immigration papers for Berlin had been delayed because of the city's
council elections. "What's wrong with you? Are you really ill?"
implored Grosche on March 14th 1951, to Switzerland. What has
happened?
Metzger had bought a printing-press (Akzidenz-Druck, Psychosophical
Institute Press), and had made international contacts "with South
and Central America, as well as France". The fourth
organisational report of the FS, which was now written and printed by Metzger, gave
Metzger's box-number as its contact address for Europe, on Grosche's
advice. [49]

On March 25th 1951 the FS-O.T.O. in Germany stated its position as
follows: "We now
have an effective outer court of the FS in Germany, in Switzerland the
ESA and the O.T.O., and in Austria the Illuminati Lodge, all as atria to
the FS." The FS was the umbrella-order whereby only tried and
tested brothers and sisters could enter the O.T.O. through the 18°. The FS was
intended to be the heir to esoteric leadership, with Metzger providing
the means and creating the relationships.

Whereas in Berlin high-powered magic in theory and practice was the
order of the day, the Swiss Lodge was working towards other ends,
taking up much less controversial studies such as "Rhetoric, the
psychology of success, introspection, and the study of the [psychic?]
centres, about the machine-man, self-recollection, unity, and the great
problem, ritual esotericism."

Metzger had also prepared the first three tasks the students were
supposed to perform: "Essay on the personification of a so-called
dead object; daily records of solitary meditations; relaxation
exercises." The Swiss held their monthly meetings after 1945 in the 'Aula
Paracelsus'. [50]

Metzger hoped that 'Gregorius' would be able to take care of the
Reuss-Crowley inheritance (especially both men's correspondence) with
his authority as Supremum Sanctuarium; it was then in the possession of
Frau Jantzen at Ticino who "claimed to be sole heir and
highest authority of the O.T.O.". But Frau Jantzen had no copies of
the Order's rituals, and she called for help on
a certain Frau Bader in Wesel, who possessed the V°. Frau Bader's daughter Gundula
had been married to William Fischer, a member of Metzger's group, and
had been "in due course the cause of our split". Oscar Schlag
mentioned Gundula's father Dr. Wolf Bader, of Öhningen am Untersee
(later of Freiburg in Breissgau), who likewise maintained that he was
'the' O.T.O.. [51]

'Gregorius' advised Metzger to "put Tränker off" this trail
initially, and then to use go-betweens to "get up close to Jantzen and Frau
Hardegger." As a go-between, Grosche had thought of his ex-mistress
Hanne Wildt, who had now become Frau Hardegger's secretary. [52] Of
course, he couldn't operate as Supremum Sanctuarium himself, as these
ladies knew him only in his status as a "simple brother of the
O.T.O.". Thus Grosche gave Metzger advice on March 22nd 1951, on how the latter
should overrun the Jantzen circle, because "anyone who gets
publicised and published is strengthened."

After the dissolution of Pinkus's and Sprengel's original Zurich O.T.O.
group in 1947, Frau Gundula Bader returned its documents to Frau
Jantzen, who was Frau Sprengel's legal heiress. After 1972 when Frau
Bader's letters to Jantzen "received no more replies, I had to
assume that" Frau Jantzen was no longer alive. [53] At the time of
writing, her Order materials have still not been returned to Stein. [54]

Grosche's difficulties with the occupying powers in Berlin left him
prey to a "battle with the Spirit [...] far worse than you in
Switzerland can conceive!" He went on: "Every day it gets worse,
and the enemy pays us even more attention. War is inevitable; you can count
on it in any case - you'll just have to cope with it as best you
can!" Metzger remained unmoved; his letter in reply to these strictures
covered seven pages, without once mentioning Grosche's worries. Metzger
was in any case far more interested in printing and publishing and
esoteric tittle-tattle, than bothering with Grosche's worries and the
political fortunes of Berlin.

"The circle is complete" indicated Metzger cryptically on April
25th 1951, forwarding a charter to Grosche: "It's a genuine O. Charter,
which Tränker hasn't got." He was probably referring to an extant,
but very insignificant-looking diploma which was worded: "We declare
on this date that S.M. Gregorius = Honoris Causa = is officially appointed
a member." [55] Written in code-letters on the diploma is the
following motto: "Truth is the sixth wisdom." [Signed by Anna Binder and Charles Huber.]
The code was "'written in the cipher of the 'Templar priests'. This
cipher was discovered in the papers of the theosophist J.C. von
Wöllner (1732-1800), and was repeatedly made public under the title of
"The Signat-Star".' [56] In using the cipher, Metzger only
compounded his errors by demonstrating that he'd actually only HALF used the
system and even managed to muddle it with another Masonic script."
[57]

By return of post, Grosche forwarded a corresponding Charter and
included a "Warrant to establish an Atrium of the Fraternitas
Saturni Lodge in the whole territory of Helvetia." [58]

"I'm putting myself right behind you," Grosche thanked him [59]
and went on to stress his great hope, that with the publication of his
novel "Exorial" - which Metzger promised to undertake - he would
be able to escape his money-troubles. "As it is, we've hit on a really
rotten patch - no cash for the rent." Grosche wrote; he was
counting on Exorial selling about 70,000 copies, while a second novel "Das Dunkle
Licht" ("The Dark Light") also promised to sell well. [60]

Contact with Karl Germer at last

In June 1951 Metzger made himself known for the first time to Karl
Germer's Crowleyan O.T.O., representing himself as the successor to the
group at Monte-Verità, and mentioning "Pinkus" and "Fräulein A.
Sprengel" to make the best possible impression on Germer. [61]
Metzger made absolutely no mention of Hilfiker (most likely because he
never knew about Hilfiker's rôle), and took good care to craftily
conceal Fräulein Sprengel's first name Alice. [62] Thus Germer
naturally mistook her for the mysterious (and probably fictional)
Fräulein ANNA Sprengel, who of course had been such a decisive factor
in the founding of the Golden Dawn. [63]

In this light, Metzger looked to be "so far genuine, with true
aspiration, and cautious in things which he may be sworn to keep silent
from uninitiates [sic]." Filled with enthusiasm, Germer reported to
his European deputy Friedrich Mellinger that
Metzger's group had a "printing shop of their own", instructing Mellinger to choose
Crowley texts for Metzger to publish. "If my optimism is not based on sand,
but solid, we should have been given a very promising connection."
[64]

"If Metzger would have had access to all of A.C.'s works in the way[Kenneth] Grant has had, I'd be inclined to
see in him a parallel
case. However - like Grant - there seems to be the lack of money." [65]

Encouraged by Germer about the Thelemic cause's chances of
international success, Metzger was now belabouring his
association with the FS; Germer was still full of aversion for Grosche: "He was
a sex-maniac, dabbled in hypnosis and drugs." [66] Grosche "surely
is a child of Tränker's." [67] "I also heard that Grosche
[...] has started O!T!O!-Lodge activities again. I do not know from whom he can claim
authority: perhaps from Tränker. Metzger should know about that..."
pondered Germer, still being kept in the dark. [68] Obviously Germer
took the FS for an O.T.O. Lodge.

On May 5th, June 6th, and July 22nd 1951, Grosche was complaining about
missing letters from Switzerland, whence Metzger was now writing (on
July 27th 1951) under a new letter-heading: "Today on the 89th
Anniversary of our Order" [69]. He noted that they finally had an
individual O.T.O. temple [70] and that contact had been taken
up with the OHO (Germer), still without having any FS rituals, which meant that the O.T.O. brethren were
hardly likely to be suited to the FS's practices - could Grosche provide
even more FS member's addresses?, and whether it was now possible to send the MS. of "Das Dunkle Licht" to Switzerland for
publication.

Grosche was perplexed. "On the organisational relationship between
the FS and the O.T.O., we have surely determined that the local O.T.O. should
become a part of the grade-structure of the corresponding FS - !! - of
course the FS doesn't even exist there officially, meaning it isn't yet
up and running" [in Switzerland]. He continued: "You can
enlighten Vienna about my mandate - of course to a certain extent it's Switzerland that takes over
Vienna's sponsorship."

Grosche apruptly tried to push Metzger into a scheme: "a way we
could make some money [...] on the Therion model: selling high
degrees! - it's not very congenial to me, but it would work." The "Blätter"
now said of the O.T.O.: "this organisation's system is also found within
the Fraternitas Saturni."

"Dear friend and Brother [...] in the O.T.O. it is planned to
re-integrate the entire knowledge of the secret fraternities, and to render them
effective - you must understand me!" Metzger explained his
stand-point on July 30th 1951, fearing a protest from the regular Freemasons; he
also asked Grosche again to send him his list of contact addresses.

Grosche, though, did not understand: "When does the FS begin working
in Zurich? When does O.T.O. workings in Zurich start as degree-workings of
the F.S.?" [71]

On the strength of this Metzger explained vaguely that he was
"filled with sorrow" about a "unified lineage", and spoke obscurely
about an idea which would have generated publicity. [72] He was possibly
referring to an article in Quick magazine (issue 37 of 1950) about
hypnosis, which talks about Crowley in negative terms.

On September 3rd 1951 Metzger arrived home from a trip to Germany, and
demanded that Grosche return the Charter of April 25th to him: "It
has of course become apparent that the matter in question was an extremely
critical and fundamental mistake."

This was the last letter that Metzger ever wrote to Grosche. In October
1951, during Metzger's visit to Friedrich Lekve and Friedrich
Mellinger, he went to see Grosche in Berlin, together with Fräulein
Äschbach. There is no clue about what happened at this meeting in
Grosche's subsequent one-sided correspondence.

Having got hold of so many foreign addresses for the FS, Metzger had
set himself up in opposition to Grosche, getting to know many of the
members personally. He profited shamelessly from Grosche's wide
knowledge of the esoteric scene, and knew all about his financial
position, his hopes and ambitions.
The two manuscripts of Grosche's novels, which had been meant to give
him an income, were never returned by Metzger. Grosche's threats to
bring the Swiss Union of Authors to bear on the matter were ignored.

Grosche wrote angrily to Metzger: "Hitherto, I had held you to be an
honourable and upright man, on whom I could implicitly rely [...]
I can only shake my head over you [...] I openly say it into your
face: you should be ashamed of your behaviour towards me!"
[73]

Despite this, the O.T.O. in Germany stayed anchored to the FS: "The
Symbol of the Tau [on the carpet of the Fraternitas Saturni Lodge] is
the sign that the secret Order of the O.T.O. is firmly established as a Degree in
the Lodge, insofar as it is worked as the Gradus Pentagrammatus
[Pentalphae]." [74] At this time Grosche asked Arnoldo
Krumm-Heller's son to join the FS - but in vain. [75]

On September 11th 1953 Metzger was expelled from the FS "due to
disreputable behaviour", and his "Warrant for Switzerland" was
annulled. [76]

Grosche: "The members of the 'Psychopathia' association [sic] have no
right to describe themselves as Lodge members of the Fraternitas Saturni."
[77]
"This so-called umbrella-organisation [...] does not exist any
more
[...] The so-called O.T.O. Alliance in Switzerland is nothing but a
pipe-dream of Metzger [...] and not genuine." [78]

When she was asked on January 7th 1987, whether Metzger became Master
of the Fraternitas Saturni's 'Orient Thuricensium', Fräulein Äschbach's
reply was short and sweet: "Ach Chabis!" which could be
roughly translated as "Oh rubbish!". But between 1951 and
1953 Sister Äschbach "Chochmah" is regularly mentioned in the FS's
records as "ritually" being "sent good harmonic mental
energies".

In 1945 Crowley furnished Gerald Brousseau Gardner (13.6.1884 -
12.2.1964) from England, who was already a IV° and P.I.,
with an O.T.O. warrant "to constitute a
camp [...] in the degree Minerval". But Gardner had no time
to spare for the O.T.O., due to his leadership of the Wiccan order (under which
title he had organised his synthetic modern revival of witchcraft).
[79] Crowley mused about Grant who had contacted him in
1944, in his diary during March 1946: "Value of Grant: if I die or
go to U.S.A, there must be a trained man to take care of English the
O.T.O." [80]

In the autumn of 1950 Grosche made contact with Grant, [81] while on
May 5th 1951 Germer sent Grant an O.T.O. charter "to constitute a
camp" after Crowley's death, saying "if we want to get the O.T.O. properly
going again, we need a competent leader, not only for England but for the
whole world. It must be somebody who knows the thing inside out:
[...] I have often thought that you might will be chosen for the job."
[82] Grant was a protégé of Friedrich Mellinger, and received his O.T.O.
Lodge instruction from W.T. Smith.

In October 1954 Grosche reprinted Karl Germer's German translation of
Crowley's "Little Essays Towards Truth", which had first appeared in
"Saturn Gnosis" during 1928. [83]

As a result of the appearance of Grant's 1955 "Manifesto" for his 'New
Isis Lodge', on page 6 of which Grosche was mentioned, [84] Grosche
himself published an abbreviated German version of the
"Manifesto" in April the same year; this caused an extreme reaction from Germer who
"took violent exception to my [Grant's] referring to
Grosche", [85] and consequently ejected Grant from the Crowleyan O.T.O. on July 20th. On
August 20th Germer prohibited Grosche from publishing any more of
Crowley's writings. Germer "had a long-standing feud with Grosche,"
[86] which indeed dated from the era of Pansophy, despite the fact
that Germer had chosen exactly the same planet for his 'Order Name' or
magical motto, as Grosche's adherents.

In this dispute the decisive factor was that Metzger not only accused
Grosche of stealing the manuscript of the "Gnostic
Mass" from him, [87] but also that Grosche's "Sonderdruck
1" ("Special Edition 1") of January 1955 spoke of the more or less sexual character of the "Mass".
In March there followed "Sonderdruck 2", with an account of Crowley's
visit to Weida, and the consequent founding of the FS. At this time
too, articles were flowing from Grosche's pen on the association of
astrological aspects with "Coitus-positions".

Grant's "pleasant correspondence with Herr Metzger" was
terminated as a result of these arguments. [88] On the 16th of December Germer
appointed a certain Edward Noel Fitzgerald as his "personal
representative in matters of the O.T.O. for Great Britain."; though
Germer cautiously added a postscript that this document was "valid
until revoked". Fitzgerald had compiled the bibliographical
appendix on 'The Works of Aleister Crowley' in Richard Cammell's biography
"Aleister Crowley". [89] Is it possible that Germer who accepted Grant
as IX°, can expell members from the Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis? [90]

After Germer's death in 1962 Grant's 'New Isis Lodge' ceased its
activities [91] and Grant promptly called himself OHO. The
authorisation for this had, according to one source, come to Grant
through a kind of "laying on of hands" in 1945. [92]

Saturnian Turmoil

Although being disappointed in Metzger, Grosche was still determined to
put the Order's affairs in somebody's hands:
"I have thought over our personal conversation once again, and would
ask that at some stage, you would write me a brief account which would
clarify the utterly impenetrable state of the secret orders, starting
with the A.A., through the G.D. and the R.C. up to the present time; it
should include a clear listing of people like Germer, Lekve,
Paragranus, Tränker and Fritsche etc. [these
last three names in longhand] Dr. Peters[en?]
etc., put in their rightful places and effectively knocked off their pedestals. Everything in Germany will
have to started again from scratch, and it would be quite right that,
as regards you yourself and Switzerland, or even better concerning
South America, it should all be renewed under your leadership."
Thus Grosche wrote to Oscar R. Schlag on April
4th 1956. The next month, Tränker died.

In August 1956 Grosche gleaned information that Germer and Lekve
were promoting Crowley's interests in the USA and Germany respectively.
He said that Lekve had "only just then distanced himself, and sent
his resignation to Dr. Petersen in Hamburg. In Switzerland a certain Herr
Metzger founded an Abbey of Thelema in agreement with Germer."
Hence "it is therfore certain that at the moment in West Germany neither
Therion's A.A., nor the Order of the G.D., nor the O.T.O. are officially
operative." [93]

That September Grosche went on his usual holiday to northern Italy,
staying in the hamlet of Cannero on Lake Maggiore near the Swiss border
- where he had lived for four years from 1942 as a refugee.

On March 18th 1957, the 'Grand Lodge of the Fraternitas Saturni in
Berlin' was officially registered with the authorities as an
association. [94] In December of that year Grosche defined his
position: "The O.T.O. is not an umbrella-organisation for the FS
Lodge, but is instead to be viewed as a wholly independent international body
which is, as it were, behind most of the recognised secret Lodges -
without being linked to them organisationally. In Germany the Order is
not officially active," [95] - hardly surprising, as Tränker was
already dead. It is not clear why Grosche makes no mention here of
Hjalmar Vollkammer's [96] Metzgerite O.T.O. 'Prometheus' Lodge in Bonn.
According to Adolf Hemberger, Vollkammer had been at the head of an 'Ordo
Illuminatorum Germaniae' since 1956. [97] Vollkammer published an
article in the first number of Metzger's "Oriflamme" in 1961, but
appears to have broken away from Metzger after about March 1965.

Grosche:
"The Brethren of the FS Lodge are not Thelemites [...] Their
stubborn literal-mindedness is in our opinion worth nothing. The strengthening
magical and cosmic influence of this Age demands a flexible adaptation
and application of Therion's teachings." [98]

In October 1958 Grosche annulled Karl Wedler's offices as Area and
District Master of Wattenschied (Wedler had become a Frater in 1954,
and Master in 1957) appointing him instead as Archivist of the Grand
Lodge. [99]

In March 1960 Grosche finally managed get his novel "Exorial"
published. "G[rosche] assured me that everything in "Exorial"
really happened." [100] By Easter Grosche had been raised to the
33° in his own Order, the highest degree called
Gotos: Gradus Ordo Templi Orientis Saturni, signifying a
personal identification with GOTOS or Baphomet, the Lodge's tutelary
spirit. On July 22nd 1961 Mount Ipf was ritually placed "under Pan's
guardianship"; but rumour has it that another ritual in 1962 saw
the FS formally dissolved. [101]

When Metzger proclaimed himself OHO of the
O.T.O. in January 1963, Grosche viewed it as "a footnote in history as far as the new occult
movements are concerned." [102]

On September 21st Gregorius's lieutenant and Grand Inspector Margarete
Berndt "Roxane", [103] together with Karl Wedler and Winfried Künnicke
"Fried" (who had travelled from New York, and been a member since
1954), met up with Grosche on his annual break at Lake Maggiore, where
they all vowed to continue with the Fraternitas Saturni. En route to
this meeting they visited Walter Englert, Johannes Göggelmann, and
Willi Hauser (a member since 1954).

The 'Luminis' lodge of the FS in Frankfurt existed since 1962 under
the leadership of Johannes Maikowski "Immanuel" (18°, 22°, a member
since 1955), [104] and his wife Irmtraud "Flita" (16°); together with
Herbert Alfred "Johannes", and Walter Englert "Ptahotep" (18°), while
other members had the mottoes 'Manfred' and 'Sara'. Englert and
Maikowski, who were both 18°, wanted to respond to Grosche alone,
bypassing Wedler. Grosche said of this: "Mstr. Ptahotep is certainly
being pushed along by his own blatant and strong ambition." [105]

Maikowski founded his own FS in 1963, and registered it with the
authorities in Frankfurt as an incorporated association; its inner
order was called 'Fraternitas Luminis Ordo Regina Adeptorum' or FLORA
for short. Among other members was Adolf Hemberger, but it seems that
in FLORA "everybody wanted to play the part of Grand Master."
[106]

The disputes among these adepti had started in over a photocopier,
which had been purchased without Wedler's permission; later on a court
ruling was obtained: "Establishing a Lodge under the same name
elsewhere cannot be prevented. Also legal incorporation of an
association is no hindrance. Section 57, Paragraph II of the Civil Code
is unambiguous [...] from which it automatically results that it
is not possible to protect a name in Germany." [107]

Egregor dead

Grosche died of a heart-attack on January 5th 1964 aged 76. His
official obituary was written by Marie Grosche, together with Alraune
and Hans Bölke; he was buried at the Waldfriedhof at Zehlendorf in
Berlin. Grosche's widow had never shown much interest in the FS, and
closed her husband's antiquarian bookshop. Born on February 23rd 1888,
Frau Grosche herself died on May 14th 1967, and was buried by her
husband's side; the grave was dissolved in 1989. [108]

On March 2nd 1964 Metzger informed 'Roxane' that as "mother order of
all Thelemic movements [...] guarding the literary heritage of
the Master Therion [...] we must show the way and be careful of
misunderstandings." To that end he had the "authorisation, the
foundations, and the proof."
Metzger complained about the "theft of spiritual properties";
the front cover of a leaflet for Grosche's antiquarian bookshop showed a picture
whose original was at Stein. He was possibly referring to a picture by
an artist called Kelling on the advertising prospectus for Grosche's
novel "Exorial"; the dust-jacket of the book itself was designed by
Martha Funk. Although Metzger never returned the manuscript of this
"story of a demonic being" to Grosche, Grosche nonetheless
managed to publish the work himself in 1960 at Berlin. [109]

At the Easter meeting of the FS Lodge held from the 28th-30th March 1964,
'Roxane' was enthroned as "Grand Mistress" through a secret ballot.
[110] In September 1964 the Lodge's publication was changed from the
cumbersome "Blätter für angewandte okkulte Lebenskunst" to "Vita
Gnosis"; from May 1965 its name was once more revised to "Saturn
Gnosis". 'Roxane', born on July 9th 1920, began to fall ill in
September 1964; after just 14 weeks in the office of Grand Mistress,
she was having to be nursed by Wedler's wife, and died on June 8th
1965.

After Frau Berndt's death, Karl Wedler (33°), Hermann Wagner "Arminius"
(27°), and Willi Hauser "Fabian" (16°) formed themselves into a
'Triumvirate' in charge of the FS; as a 33°, however, Wedler had the
final say.

Metzger wants to take over

On July 19th 1965 Wedler received a letter from Metzger, who wanted
"this small vessel, the ashes of the Order of Saturnian Brothers, to
return to its native shores" because "our last OHO
[Germer] committed us all to a special duty though the years, to study with, and secretly
look after this movement." Metzger sent Wedler a warrant for the V°
on approval; but the latter was not "bribed" (as he termed it)
by this, and later on the warrant was cancelled. [111]

The 'Triumvirate' apparently failed to keep in proper touch with each
other because they lived too far apart, and so most of the Order's work
ended up being concentrated in Wedler's hands. At the Easter Lodge
meeting on April 8th-10th 1966, Wedler's protégé, a chemist called
Guido Wolther from Kelkheim (12°, a member since March 1964) [112] was
elected Grand Master. [113] On April 13th 1968 two further 18° were
appointed: Emil Forrer "Domani", and Hans Bühler "Heliobas".

Within the FS a new secret inner Order was now born: the 'Ancient and
Mystical Order of the Saturn Brotherhood', or AMOS; [114] on September
10th 1968 Wedler, as the Order's 'Gotos', became "Honorary Master of
the AMOS." [115] In the mundane world Wedler manifested himself as
Chief Inspector of Restaurants for the local health authority in
Bochum. [116]

Adolf Hemberger

Although they both denied it, [117] it was Guido Wolther 'Daniel' (18°,
33°) who removed documents from the archive for Adolf Hemberger, who compiled them and published them in dozens of small volumes, and gave shape to current perceptions of the FS. One 18° ritual full of blood and semen roused strong feelings when made public, [118] while many of 'Daniel's' sex-magical drawings and writings did the rounds. [119] "Hemberger really styles himself as a student of Fra[ter]Saturnius
[Johannes Göggelmann], and an X° member of the O.T.O." [120]

Metzger found it necessary at this stage to send out circular letters
in which he declared: "Grosche was neither a member nor a brother of
the O.T.O., or the Illuminati." Hemberger, whose opinions derived
from Walter Englert, countered this with: "the legitimate heir of Crowley
in Germany can [...] only be the FS." [121] Wolther was
likewise linked with Englert's officially incorporated IO/O.T.O. in Frankfurt. [122]

During the Lodge's Easter assembly on April 5th-6th 1969, members who
had seceded from the Frankfurt FS (though without Englert and his
IO/O.T.O.), united themselves once more with the Mother-Lodge. Wedler
enthroned the new Grand Master of the "United Grand Lodge Fraternitas
Saturni": [123] Walter Jantschik "Jananda" (born November 9th 1939, 4°,
8°), who had been a member since April 1964. [124] Jantschik, who was a
civil servant in the Ministry of Justice, wished to found an esoteric
university within the FS, which would confer qualifications of Doctor
and Professor to those submitting a dissertation. [125] A year after
his appointment, Jantschik was ritually initiated into the 18° with
'Roxane', 'Orpheus', and 'Arminius' present. [126] No documents have
been written for either Jantschik's 18° initiation, or his nomination
as Grand Master. [127] Jantschik recalled: "I have not received a
document in which Metzger wanted to take over the FS" during his
leadership of the FS [128]

"Daniel left the FS about 1969; there were difficulties with the
Lodge's secretary under 'Giovanni's' leadership, and he had problems
with his wife 'Rahel' [Myriam Wolther]. A certain Brother Heliobas
[see above] from Australia had his eye on his wife and seduced her."
[129] On February 18th 1971 'Daniel' permanently resigned his office as
'Gotos' of the secessionist faction of the Frankfurt FS; the
concomitant quarrels and denunciations to the police were recorded by
Hemberger in his series on the FS. [130] With Wolther's departure the
AMOS ceased to exist.

Jantschik was quickly followed as Grand Master in 1969 by the Pole S.W.
Wicha, who had entered the Order the same year. Jantschik recalled:
"Before I abdicated from the office of Grand Master: there was
lots of plotting on all sides, etc. Giovanni wanted to be appointed as
an honorary member, as did his wife [...] Since I left the FS in
1970-71 I have had no further contact with this Lodge." [131] Jantschik
divorced his first wife in 1971, and married a younger woman (born June
6th 1953) from Mauritius; it has been recorded that the return flights
cost about 5,000 deutschmarks.

At the Easter meeting of the Lodge for 1977, in his absence "Andrzey
was unanimously voted out of his position, because of his neglect of
his office." The new Grand Master was called Joachim Müller
"Horus", [132] who died on May 25th 1982. [133] In 1978 the Canadian branch of
the FS publicised its own address in a 'Caliphate' newsletter [134],
after which its manifesto appeared in the magazine of the Maat group in Ohio,
[135] while in 1990 S. Edred Flowers, a follower of the 'Temple of
Set', published a compilation of Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack and Hemberger's writings under
his own name. [136]

In Nomine Baphometi

On May 6th 1970 Paul-Günther Diefenthal who was a member of the FS,
shot Walter Jantschik's brother-in-law Josef Göttler, seemingly
following the "orders of Baphomet". [137] In the course of
investigating these matters, the journalist Horst Knaut
and F.W. Haack, (who was chief delegate of the Evangelical Church with
responsibility for sects and ideologies since 1969), succeeded in
visiting Jantschik in his home at Lehrberg on March 22nd 1974. Knaut
feared that Jantschik would try to perform a cult-sacrifice with his as
yet unborn child, and sent some of his writings off to be analysed by a
psychologist, suspecting "danger to soul, love, and life." [138]
Knaut was amazed that he was not taken seriously, even after he had exposed
Guido Wolther in "Quick" magazine and elsewhere, and deliberately
threatened Wolther with legal action if he interfered with his work as
a journalist. [139]

Jantschik, as a member of the Metzgerite Order of Illuminati since March 18th 1965, studied the
pertinent teachings as published in the "Oriflamme"; but the contact with Stein fell into abeyance soon after.
He claimed "I was a member of the IO for approximately three years.
The transmission of material was then suspended (reason: organisational
grounds)." [142] "I visited Metzger in his Abbey at Christmas
1970, and thereby also made the acquaintance of Frau Borgert and Fräulein
Äschbach, as well as their magical son[Simon]. Metzger proved to
have three equal vocations: psychologist, businessman, and author. He also
told me that he had fathered many (magical?) children, or that was how
I understood him. Besides this he informed me that he was the legal
authority in charge of the O.T.O.-Order of Illuminati, &c." [143]

Jantschik's interests broadened, and he became a member of the
A.M.O.R.C., the Goden Order, Josef Grasser's "Stephanios" 'Loge Kether' in Paris,
and AMOOKOS - under the alias of 'Aythos' he wrote a
booklet about the FS published in 1979, in F.W. Haack's collection of
documents. [144] Within the O.T.O.A he wrote under the initials 'CCD' in
1983, while in 1981 he had at first been Brother 'Antomedon', and later
on used the title 'Levum' in the Ordo Saturni, and as a member of
Michael Aquino's 'Temple of Set'. [145] Before this in 1980,
Jantschik had been a co-founder of the German branch of the
'Caliphate', where there were members of the Temple of Set - and
formerly Scientologists as well. By 1989, now
using the alias 'CIT', he became 'Baphometor' in the Ordo Baphometis,
and by the end of that year resigned from all the
aforementioned orders, thenceforward focused on his OB only [146]

The Ordo Saturni

In 1971 Oswald Schrey "Aton" from Berlin founded the 'Antares
Study-Group'. Through adverts in the occult periodical "Esotera" some
twenty-five members were recruited, among them Jürgen Gisselmann
"Merlin", who seems to have made himself very popular by referring to
his relationship with the self-styled Satanist Ulla von Bernus, and the
FS. [147] Gisselmann "was very active at that time, and introduced
Herr [Dieter] Heikaus to the Study Group." [148] Heikaus "Phosphorus"
was "appointed to membership of the new Triumvirate" by Gisselmann,
which made Schrey feel he had been ignored; Heikaus and Gisselmann were
excommunicated. "All members distanced" themselves from both
men, [149] and the Antares group became defunct in 1973. [150]

Under Andrzey's leadership a "Magna Charta" of the Fraternitas Saturni
was published on March 31st 1972, in which the associated 'Ordo Saturni' was announced as the
associated body of the Fraternitas Saturni. But the Lodge Council of
the FS, meeting on October 27th 1978, agreed "that the 'Magna
Charta' and the Ordo Saturni linked to it are not binding on the whole Lodge,
and that it, [the 'Magna Charta'] through its challenge to the
jurisdiction of the present G[rand] M[aster], contradicts
the Lodge's laws (see Sections 1, 11, and 101)." Dr. Conrad "Drakon" the Grand
Master, declared the 'Ordo Saturni' to be non-existant. [151]

Dieter Heikaus, now calling himself 'Honorius', who had supposedly
completed his studies in theology and teaching, [152] was however
working as a "secondary school teacher of German, history, English,
and religion" [153] and took charge of the Lodge's publications.
[154]

By 1978, the local Orient in Bersenbrück was seeking independence from
the Fraternitas Saturni, and Heikaus sought out supporters for this
idea among the membership. In January 1980 the Orient, now called 'Ordo
Saturni', celebrated its ritual inauguration as an independent Grand
Lodge ruled by 'Honorius', now 'Set-Horus'. This new Ordo
Saturni (OS) was not a continuation of the previously associated body
of the same name, but instead a kind of outer court for the 'Order of Set',
which was itself hidden as an inner order of the OS. Continual changes
to its statutes have recently led it to conclude that "those
workings and Degree workings that are submitted [...] are the property of
the Ordo Saturni." [155]

In 1985 the OS was advertising itself with the lamen of the O.T.O.; at the
same address bodies such as the Gnostic Catholic Church, the 'Pentalpha
Tantra Circle' seeking 'Ladies and Gentlemen'; [156] the 18° Pentalpha Circle - also more bluntly labelled a
'Sex-Magic Study Group' - held its meetings on the Lodge's premises.
[157] However, Heikaus advertised himself with a "Special Department
for Ariosophy." [158]

After he had been nominated by Heikaus as an Honorary Member of the OS
in July 1986, Wedler returned the favour by appointing Heikaus as Grand
Master and 30° on March 14th the following year. [159] The OS was able
to recruit a few past Masters from the FS, and higher-degree members
from Grosche's era; for instance the above mentioned FS
'Triumvirate' of 'Giovanni', 'Fabian', and 'Arminius', found a home in
the ranks of the OS. Indeed, the latter two joined after Heikaus's
appointment as Hierarch - 'Arminius' on March 19th 1988 and 'Fabian' on
February 4th 1989; subsequently Heikaus was installed as 'Gotos' on
March 4th 1989. Of the 18° members from the FS, only the Swiss Emil
Forrer "Domani" converted in December 1987.

The Ordo Saturni was officially incorporated as a society in Bremen;
its member's subscriptions being recorded as going to the Esoteric
Study-Group in Bersenbrück. Both group's separate constitutions stated
that members of the Ordo Saturni had no right to speak at meetings.
According to the OS's regulations of 1978 and 1982, its group-funds
belonged to the 'Order of Set' in Osnabrück mentioned above.

The Gnostic Catholic Church in Germany was supposedly founded in
January 1980 by Dieter Heikaus, under his
motto of 'Set-Horus'. This Church's activities - announcements in
specialist magazines, entries in esoteric directories, and letters to
correspondence columns, etc., [160] - at least indicate it did exist.
Its apostolic succession is claimed to descend from the Polish
Mariavite Church; although there is nothing magical in the
transubstantiation of wine and bread from the theological standpoint,
it is otherwise in the "twilight world of the Wandering Bishops." [161]
This apostolic succession allegedly derived from Archbishop Paulus N.
Maas, who had been made a bishop on October 9th 1949 by Marc-Marie-Paul
Fatôme, who had in his turn been consecrated by Micheal Kowalski on
September 4th 1939. [162] The Order of Mariavites originated in Poland,
being instituted in 1890 by Maria Kozlowska, and in the early part of
1991 was conferring "Friendship Blessings" for gay couples in Cologne.

Tiny little scandal

Karl R. H. Frick, who belonged to the same Masonic Lodge as Wedler,
learnt through him of Heiner Fabian 'Cornelis' and his manuscript
entitled "Blutmessen und Satanismus" ("Blood-Masses and Satanism")
[Part One]. [163] The "naive" Frick cited the OS as the 'Ordo Satanas'
in his book "Satanismus und Freimaurerei" ("Satanism and Freemasonry").
[164] Likewise, Paul Rüdiger Audehm (born 1942) felt that he had
been deceived by Frick, to whom he had supplied material in good faith
for the book. [165] The same is reported by many other authors as well.

"With Divine Sperm I anoint thy head." [166]

Jürgen Gisselmann "Merlin" appeared with Ulla von Bernus "Anata" on
the German television programme magazine 'Hör Zu', [167] while he was
still too young to join the Fraternitas Saturni; hence Karl Wedler took him under
his own wing. The friendship between Anata and Merlin degenerated into
a split when Merlin tried to demolish Anata's belief in UFOs. Merlin
wrote for both for "Marabo" ("Local Paper for Bochum and District")
- where a certain Werner Schmitz also worked [168] - and for "Playboy's"
German edition. He soon became prey to fears that he was being
persecuted by black magicians, and committed suicide aged just 25, on
October 2nd 1979. The aforementioned Schmitz eventually accounted the
circumstances of his suicide as a detective novel: "Auf Teufel Komm Raus"
[169] - he was supplied with information for his piece by Dieter
Heikaus. After this story appeared, leaflets were
distrubuted in Wedler's home-town revealing his identity; [170] Heikaus
now became "indignant".

Ulla von Bernus (born circa 1914) nonetheless achieved her moment of
fame; on August 17th 1984, she again appeared on TV channel ZDF and in
the magazine 'Hör Zu' [171] celebrating a magical ritual, and revealed her occult
price-list on the programme, which included a charge of 30,000 Deutschmarks for magically
killing someone at a distance. Pastor Sommerauer, who subsequently took
Frau von Bernus to court, was incensed; but on the evidence she was
ruled to have merely committed an "illusory crime exempt from
punishment." [172] On these grounds, Frau von Bernus was of course
required to repay the 30,000 DM, as the assize court in Kassel judged
that the whole business "had been objectively impossible from the
start." [173] The son of Wolther or 'Daniel', Patrick, became Frau
Bernus's magical pupil.

Heikaus tried in vain to get hold of Merlin's
Order documents, but Jürgen Gisselman's mother had destroyed almost all
of them after his suicide. [174]

In that same year 1987, when Schmitz's report appeared,
recruitment-leaflets for the OS surfaced at the high school in
Quackenbrück; local parents promptly threatened to withdraw their
children from the school. The tabloid press warned of dangers to the
innocent, [175] while parish magazines printed examples of Ordo Saturni
insignia, [176] quoting Horst Knaut and F.W. Haack.
"Just now the Devil's loose in our district. The churches are on the
attack; the criminal police and the public prosecutor have been called
in - and a local case of suicide has been linked to us" complained
Heikaus, [177] who was removed from his office as school teacher in
March 1988.

The papers reported rumours that the authorities were looking into
allegations about Heikaus: he had supposedly been distributing writings
(and films too) that were harmful to the young, and it was even claimed
that he'd been promoting neo-Nazi ideas; but these accusations all
proved to be totally groundless. [178] Because of all the
press-attention, a number of gaps appeared in the ranks of the OS's
higher echelons; these were rapidly filled by newcomers putting
themselves forward - most of them members of the 'Caliphate' - which
promptly caused further disquiet.

Heikaus then founded the 'Ordo Templi Orientis Saturni' ("its name
has duly been registered as a trade-mark"). [179] Many
members left at this juncture; some had neglected to pay their 120 DM
membership fees, and promptly heard from Heikaus's lawyer. [180]

In May of 1993, several members tried to remove Heikaus as Grandmaster:
accusation against him was of accounting
discrepancies in his conduct of a legally incorporated association.
[181] None of this seems to have upset Heikaus, perhaps because
Gertrude Zellhuber had presented him, and the Ordo Saturni, with a
child on August 18th that year; he was called Artur, and as the
reincarnation of Eugen Grosche, was apparently
predestined to steer the heavily-laden Saturnian ship through further stormy waters...

Johannes Maikowski

Johannes Maikowski [Immanuel], member since 1950/1955 was appointed as his successor and Grand Master of the 'Fraternitas Saturni' by Eugen Grosche in December 1963. He was re-elected by his own adherents in 1964/65. His group was also called 'Fraternitas Luminis Ordo Reginus Adeptorum' (FLORA) or 'Ortsloge Fraternitas Luminis'. Maikowski was not recognized by all members. 1983 there was an election of a new Grand master by a competing F.S. which forced him to abandon the name of the lodge in the same year.
So in 1993 he founded alternatively:

Communitas Saturni

Communitas Solis

Grossloge Gregor A. Gregorius der FS in Kaiserslautern (GAG)

Alter und Angenommener Schottischer Ritus der Fraternitas Saturni

Adeptenloge und Adepten Grossloge Tetragrammaton der FS in KL

Gralsloge Gralion

Vereinigte Grossloge Gralion

There were dual memberships with the Ordo Templi Orientis and regular Freemasonry. Maikowski declared his own lodge foundations soon to be null and void. Yet, some of these lodges remain to exist.
In 2003 the GAG united with the formerly competing 'Fraternitas Saturni' in Berlin. Maikowski still continues to consider himself the only legitimate Grandmaster.

By 2009 he had founded:

Communitas Coeli

Communitas Cathara Christiana

Fraternitas Demiurgae Saturna

Fraternitas Idea Saturna

Friedenskreis Terra

Evangelisch-Katharische Loge der FS

Christliche Loge Kaiserslautern oder Jesus-Christus Loge

He is still convinced to be the only legitimate successor to Eugen Grosche although he rejects the proclamations of the old 'Fraternitas Saturni' i.e. "Love is the Law - Love under will - Pitiless Love" and "Do what thou wilt" ["Thelema" according to Aleister Crowley].

Grosche had entered into a union with the Lodge-spirit 'Gotos',
who was a kind of modern version of the Templar's supposed idol 'Baphomet'.
See Marlene Leander: 'Von Kopf bis Fuss auf Sperma eingestellt', in
"AHA", February 1993, p. 4 "ff". Facsimile in P.R. Koenig: "In Nomine
Demiurgi Nosferati", Bavaria 1999

Metzger's "Oriflamme" Nº 108, 1971 p. 1215. Markus Kumer (formerly
a Metzger loyalist) recalled Grau and his disabled daughter often went
on visits to Stein. Grau's films of Crowley's visit to Germany had
ended up at Stein. Telephone conversation on 8.10.91.

Grosche's letters to Crowley from Gerald Yorke's collection, were
printed by Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack in association with 'Aythos' in:
"Die Fraternitas Saturni", Munich 1979. 'Aythos' was Walter Jantschik.
From this work, and the first volume of Hemberger's 1971-77 series on
the FS, Stephen Edred Flowers "Edred Thorsson" published his American
compilation: "Fire & Ice", Minnesota 1990. In which see p. 177 "ff".

"Saturn-Gnosis" Nº 5, Berlin March 130, p. 53.

Unsuccessful exhibition of Crowley's paintings at the Galerie
Porza in Berlin. Martha Küntzel took care of the paintings after the
exhibition closed.

On 20.4.1971 Metzger then republished Albin Grau's article about
Hoene Wronski from "Saturn-Gnosis" Nº 4 of 1929, in "Oriflamme" Nº 108,
p. 1214. Metger similarly published Germer's German Crowley
translations from old copies of "Saturn-Gnosis".

In the second letter from Grosche to Metzger.

Erler led the A.M.O.R.C. from 1949 to 1954, and co-founded the ORA
in 1956.

Telephone conversation of 14.6.91.

On 14.12.50 there were about fifty West-Berliner students.

Grosche to Metzger, letter of 29.12.50.

Grosche to Metzger, letter of 14.9.50.

Grosche gave a lecture on Crowley's visit to Tränker and the
founding of the FS in Berlin in July 1951. The text later appeared as
"Sonderdruck 2" in March 1955. Reprinted by F.W. Haack in: "Die
Fraternitas Saturni", Munich 1977.

Paul Rüdiger Audehm, letter of 24.8.88.

Anita Borgert to Ludwig Delp, letter of 2.12.1970.

Metzger to Grosche, letter of 21.10.50.

This was not intended to make an eventual entry look palatable to
Freemasons, as Heikaus, Grand Master of the Ordo Saturni enumerated on
17-19.4.1992; there were still only ten actively magical degrees then.
See Marlene Leander, 'Von Kopf bis Fuss auf Sperma eingestellt', in
"AHA", February 1993, p. 5.

Not to be confused with the 1920's 'Parazelsus' Rosicrucian
Chapter in Bellinzona.

Conversations on 22.1. and 26.2.88.

Grosche to Metzger, letter of 27.10.50.

Gundula Bader, letter of 23.4.88.

Two requests from Metzger's inner circle (Adalbert Schmid and
Markus Kumer, both in Metzger's O.T.O.) whether the author of this
study is in possession of those documents.

Illustration in "AHA", July 1991, p. 8.

Stuttgart 1866, Freiburg im Breisgau 1979, p. 214.

Jürgen Finkler ('Caliphate'), letter of 13.10.87.

Illustration in "AHA", July 1991, p. 7.

Grosche to Metzger, letter of 28.4.51.

Grosche to Metzger, letter of 13.5.51.

In the "Caliphate"'s Germer-Crowley archive there is only one
letter from Metzger to Germer, and just six of Germer's letters in reply
dating from 1951-1960.

Metzger to Schlag.

Ellic Howe: "The Magicians of the Golden Dawn", London 1972.

Germer to Mellinger, letter of 25.6.51.

Germer to Mellinger, letter of 8.7.51.

Germer to Petersen, letter of 17.11.1950, nonetheless soon
published by Grosche.

Germer to Mellinger, letter of 25.9.51.

Germer to Mellinger, letter of 15.9.51.

A Cerneau Warrant granted by Harry J. Seymour on 21.7.1862. Reuss
declared on his O.T.O. Charters that it was "Derivatum ex Magno
Oriente Galliae Charta 21. Julii 1862, N. 28911." The same description is
found in Nº 0 of the "Oriflamme", in the "Übersinnliche Welt" supplement of
December (?) 1901; Facsimile in P.R. Koenig: "Der Grosse Theodor Reuss
Reader", Bavaria 1997

Facsimile of this Charter in Geoffrey Basil Smith: "Knights of the
Solar Cross", 1983. Born on 19.1.47, Smith considers himself to be the
X° of Great Britain. After 1988, this Charter was owned by Allen H.
Greenfield, bishop of Bertiaux's O.T.O.A, and in the 'Caliphate'. There is
a report on this charter in "LAShtAL" Nº 1, Georgia 1988, p. 41.

Quoted in Kenneth Grant: "Remembering Aleister Crowley", London
1991, p. 49; and in John Symonds: "King of the Shadow Realm", p. 572.

Grosche to Metzger, letter of 19.10.50.

Germer to Grant, letter of 18.1.52. The correspondance between
Grant and Germer was brought up in connection with the dispute with the
'Caliphate' over the copyrights on Crowley's writings.

This would tend to support Oscar Schlag's assertion that Germer
initially subsidised the FS.

Illustration in "AHA", July 1991, p. 10.

Grant, letter of 11.8.87.

"Ut supra".

Metzger, in the introduction to "Ecclesiae Gnosticae Catholicae
Canon Missae", Zurich, December 1955, no page-number.

Grant, letter of 11.8.87.

London 1951, p. 207.

Germer to Mellinger, letter of 8.7.51.

Grant: "Cults of the Shadow", London 1975, p. 222; and "Aleister
Crowley and the Hidden God", London 1973, p. 2.

Myth: The central concept in F.S. lodges is that of the lodge Egregore (group spirit). GOTOS by name and created as a bust. This is also the highest rank in the F.S. (from 'Gradus Ordo Templi Orientis Saturni').
Truth: Johannes Maikowski, Grandmaster of the Fraternitas Saturni, appointed as successor by Eugen Grosche in December 1963, speaks with Peter-R. Koenig in August 2011.

Johannes Maikowski, member since 1950/1955 was appointed as his successor and Grand Master of the Fraternitas Saturni by Eugen Grosche in December 1963. He was re-elected by his own adherents in 1964/65. 1983 there was an election of a new Grandmaster by a competing F.S. which forced him to abandon the name of the lodge in the same year. So in 1993 he founded several lodges, for example the Communitas Saturni and the Grossloge Gregor A. Gregorius der FS in Kaiserslautern (GAG). There were dual memberships with the Ordo Templi Orientis and regular Freemasonry. Maikowski declared his own lodge foundations soon to be null and void. Yet, some of these lodges remain to exist. In 2003 the GAG united with the formerly competing Fraternitas Saturni in Berlin. Maikowski still continues to consider himself the only legitimate Grandmaster.

Regarding Aleister Crowley's antidemocratic, racist and misanthropic writings, followers point out: "The reason [...] aspects of Thelema are omitted [in public discussion] indicates the actual problem with presenting Thelema as a religion and attempting to get Thelema sanctioned by the government or approved by the public: Thelema is ultimately in contrast to and transgressive of normative society. Thelema rejects the morals and values of normative society and acts to transgress and violate these norms. From the inclusion of intoxicants in ritual, to the positive view of sexuality, which frequently is seen as promoting promiscuity, to the pro–authoritarian and Nietzschian aspects of Thelema, normative society has much to reject in Thelema and conversely, Thelema encourages its adherents to reject most aspects of normative society.". "Journal of Thelemic Studies", 1;2, 2008, page 40. See The Templar's Reich.